After making my 4-point, 5-point, and 6-point wooden stars, I wanted to try something a little different — a larger wooden Bethlehem star with a more distinctive shape.
Instead of using eight identical points, I made this star from two different woods and two different point sizes.
The larger oak pieces form the main cross, while the smaller walnut pieces fill the diagonal spaces between them. The lower oak point is also longer than the other three, giving the star its recognizable elongated Bethlehem-star shape.
The finished star measures approximately: 420 × 370 × 18 mm (about 16-1/2 × 14-9/16 × 3/4 in)
It is a fairly substantial Christmas decoration, and I really like the contrast between the lighter oak and dark walnut. Once the oil goes on, that difference becomes even stronger.
The cutting process is very similar to the one I used in my How to Make a Wooden Star tutorial, but the geometry is different. This star still has eight points, but they aren’t all identical.
Instead:
- 4 oak pieces have a 60° center angle
- 4 walnut pieces have a 30° center angle
- Together: 4 × 60° + 4 × 30° = 360°
That difference is what gives this star its shape.
Table of Contents
- What Makes This Bethlehem Star Different?
- Wooden Bethlehem Star Size and Layout
- Materials and Tools
- Understanding the Angles
- Why Grain Direction Matters
- Let’s Start Building!
- Step 1: Prepare the Oak and Walnut Blanks
- Step 2: Cut the Oak Center Angles
- Step 3: Cut the Walnut Center Angles
- Step 4: Shape the Outer Points
- Step 5: Dry Fit the Star
- Step 6: Chamfer the Edges
- Step 7: Glue the Star Together
- Step 8: Sand and Finish
- How to Fix Small Gaps
- Wooden Bethlehem Star Plans
- Wrap-Up
- Frequently Asked Questions
*Safety is your responsibility. Make sure you know what you’re doing and take all necessary safety precautions while working with power tools. Safety comes first!
Materials and Tools
Tools
- Table saw – Link
- Table Saw Sled
- DIY Table Saw Angle Jig
- Router – Link
- Digital Angle Finder – Link
- MicroJig Matchfit – Link
- MicroJig Dovetail Clamps – Link
- Chamfer router bit – Link
- Table saw blade – Link
- Push block – Link
- One-hand clamps – Link
- Benchtop Router Table
- DIY Sanding Block
✅ Check all the tools I use here
I planed the boards before cutting, but that is not essential. If you want a more rustic star, leaving a little natural texture can actually work very well
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What Makes This Bethlehem Star Different?
At first glance, you could simply call this an 8-point wooden star. But it is different from a regular symmetrical 8-point star where every segment is identical.
Here I use: 4 larger oak points and 4 smaller walnut points
The oak pieces form the main vertical and horizontal shape. Three of those oak points are similar in length, while the lower one is longer.
The walnut points sit diagonally between them. That creates a more decorative, directional shape rather than a perfectly symmetrical eight-point star.
It also means the angle calculation is different from the equal-point stars covered in my Wooden Star Angles guide.
Wooden Bethlehem Star Size and Layout
My finished star measures approximately 420 × 370 × 18 mm (about 16-1/2 × 14-9/16 × 3/4 in). I used 18 mm thick oak and walnut.
The starting blanks were approximately:
1. Oak
- Shorter blanks: 3 × 90 × 200 × 18 mm (about 3-9/16 × 7-7/8 × 3/4 in)
- Longer blank (extended lower point): 1 × 90 × 240 × 18 mm (about 3-9/16 × 9-7/16 × 3/4 in)
2. Walnut
- 4 × approximately 50 × 140 × 18 mm (about 2 × 5-1/2 × 3/4 in)
The pieces do not need to follow these exact dimensions if you want a smaller or larger star. The important part is keeping the proportions consistent and getting the center angles accurate.
Understanding the Angles
This is probably the most important part of the build. A regular equal 8-point star would divide 360° into eight identical sections.
This Bethlehem star does not do that. Instead, the larger oak pieces occupy more of the center, and the smaller walnut pieces fill the remaining spaces.
1. Oak
- Each oak center point: 60°
- Four pieces: 4 × 60° = 240°
- Because the point is symmetrical, each side is cut at: 30°
2. Walnut
- Each walnut center point: 30°
- Four pieces: 4 × 30° = 120°
- Each side is therefore cut at: 15°
Altogether: 240° + 120° = 360°. That closes the full center.
| Wood | Pieces | Center Angle | Cut Angle Per Side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak | 4 | 60° | 30° |
| Walnut | 4 | 30° | 15° |
NOTE: This is why you should not simply use the normal 22.5° cutting angle associated with an equal 8-point star. The two sets of points in this design have different center angles.
For a deeper explanation of the geometry, see my Wooden Star Angles guide.
Why Grain Direction Matters
This is one detail I would definitely not skip. I orient the grain so it visually runs from the center of the star toward the outer tip of each point. That applies to both the oak and walnut pieces.
When all eight parts are assembled, the grain then radiates naturally outward from the middle. If the grain runs randomly across the individual pieces, the star can still be structurally fine, but visually it loses a lot of the effect. (With oak in particular, the grain becomes a strong part of the design.)
💡TIP: Before cutting the blanks, mark the intended center and outer-point direction with a pencil so you do not accidentally flip the grain orientation later.
This grain direction was an intentional part of the design rather than just using whatever orientation happened to fit the board.
Let’s Start Building!
The actual cutting process is very similar to my earlier wooden-star project. Each blank receives:
- two cuts creating the inner center point
- two cuts creating the outer star point
Once the jig is set correctly, the process is quite quick.
How to Make a Wooden Bethlehem Star
Step 1: Prepare the Oak and Walnut Blanks
I first prepare all the wood. I planed the boards flat and then cut them to 18 mm (about 3/4 in) thickness. Next, I cut the rough blanks.
- For the oak I use three pieces around 90 × 200 mm and one longer piece around 90 × 240 mm. The longer oak piece becomes the lower point of the Bethlehem star.
- The four walnut blanks are approximately 50 × 140 mm.
Try to keep all matching pieces flat, square, and consistent in thickness. The cleaner the blanks are at this stage, the easier it is to make the center fit accurately later.
Step 2: Cut the Oak Center Angles
I start with the oak pieces. For each one, I need a 60° included center point. That means each side is cut at 30°.
- I mount my Table Saw Angle Jig on the table saw sled
- Then I position the guide at 30° relative to the blade and add a stop block
- Place the oak blank against the guide and stop
- Make the first cut
- Rotate the workpiece 180°
- Make the second cut
That gives me the symmetrical 60° point that will eventually sit in the center of the star. Repeat the same setup for all four oak pieces.
💡TIP: Once the angle is correct, do not change the jig until all four matching pieces are finished.
Step 3: Cut the Walnut Center Angles
The walnut pieces follow the same process, but the angle changes. Each walnut piece needs a 30° center point. That means each side is 15°. Reset the guide to 15° relative to the blade and again:
- Position the blank
- Make the first cut
- Rotate it 180°
- Make the matching second cut
Repeat for all four walnut pieces.
NOTE: Because 15° is a fairly narrow angle, this is where I especially like having the workpiece secured on the sled instead of trying to hold it manually.
Step 4: Shape the Outer Points
Once all the center angles are finished, I cut the opposite side of each piece. This creates the visible star tips. The process is the same one I used in my 4, 5 & 6 Point Wooden Star project.
First, I decide how long I want the finished segment to be and align the outer end with the saw blade. Then, I place the finished inner point into an angled support block and lock it in position.
For the process:
- Make the first cut.
- Rotate the piece 180°.
- Lock it into the support again and make the matching second cut.
You now have the full kite-shaped piece: inner center point + outer star point. The exact outer length is more of a design decision than a geometric requirement.
The one exception here is the lower oak piece, which I deliberately make longer to create the extended Bethlehem-star tail.
Step 5: Dry Fit the Star
Before reaching for the glue, assemble all eight pieces on a flat surface. This is where you find out whether the angle setup was accurate.
Position the four larger oak pieces first. Then place the four smaller walnut pieces between them.
Make sure:
- opposite pieces line up
- the center closes
- the grain runs toward the tips
- the bottom oak point is correctly positioned
- there are no major gaps
If everything closes cleanly, you are ready to continue. If there are only tiny gaps, they are usually easy to correct. (see below how to fix them)
Step 6: Chamfer the Edges
Once I am happy with the fit, I chamfer the visible edges. For that, I use my Benchtop Router Table and a chamfer router bit. You could also create a softer edge manually using a Sanding Block.
I like the routed chamfer because it makes the individual pieces stand out.
Once assembled, the small bevels create shadow lines that give the star a more three-dimensional appearance. This works especially well with the alternating oak and walnut.
Step 7: Glue the Star Together
Now glue all eight pieces together on a flat workbench.
I start fitting the pieces one by one, always watching the center. Apply glue to the mating surfaces and bring the pieces together.
The opposite points should align with each other. Take your time here. You have eight separate parts meeting at the same center, so moving one piece can influence several others.
Once the star is aligned, leave it undisturbed until the glue has dried completely.
NOTE: Clean the glue squeeze-out while it is still soft, especially inside the chamfered joints. Once the glue hardens there, it becomes much more difficult to remove cleanly.
Step 8: Sand and Finish
Once the glue is completely dry, I sand the entire star. I start with 120-grit sandpaper. Then I lightly wet the wood to raise the grain. I sand again with 180 grit. This is basically the same process I often use when finishing cutting boards.
Finally, I apply wood oil. The oil makes a big visual difference on this project. It deepens the color of the oak, but the biggest change is the walnut — it becomes much darker and creates a strong contrast against the lighter main points.
Let the oil soak in and dry.
At this point, the Bethlehem star is finished.
How to Fix Small Gaps
With eight pieces meeting in the center, a tiny cutting error can become visible once everything is assembled. If the gaps are large, I would go back and check the angle setup (there is really not much to do here).
But small gaps are easy to improve.
- Place a sheet of sandpaper on a flat surface
- Take the affected segment and lightly sand either the center tip or the mating side, depending on where the gap appears
- Then test the fit again
It usually only takes a few passes. The important part is to work slowly. Remove a little wood, test, and repeat. Do not try to correct everything in one go.
You can also use the same techniques I described in the How to Make a Wooden Star article — small chamfers and, for very tiny imperfections, matching sawdust mixed with glue can help visually clean up the joints.
💡TIP: Fix the geometry during the dry fit whenever possible. It is much easier than trying to correct the star after glue-up.
Wooden Bethlehem Star Plans
I am also planning detailed PDF plans for this Bethlehem star. The plans will include the exact dimensions and layout needed to reproduce my version, including:
- oak and walnut piece dimensions
- angle setup
- center geometry
- piece layout
- longer lower point
- cut references
- metric and imperial measurements
- assembly guide
This will join the other wooden-star plans I am preparing for the Christmas collection. Until then, you can browse my available Woodworking Plans.
Wrap-Up
I really like how this Bethlehem star turned out.
It uses the same basic cutting process as my other wooden stars, but the combination of different point sizes, different center angles, oak, walnut, and the longer bottom point gives it a completely different character.
The contrasting woods are probably my favorite part. Before finishing, the difference is already visible, but once the oil goes on, the walnut becomes much darker and the oak grain really stands out.
The geometry looks a little unusual at first, but once you break it down, it is straightforward:
- 4 × 60° oak points
- 4 × 30° walnut points
- -> total of 360°
From there, the build is mostly about keeping the cuts consistent, watching the grain direction, and dry fitting everything before glue-up.
If you want to see the simpler process first, start with my How to Make a Wooden Star: 4, 5 & 6 Point Designs tutorial. For the angle calculations themselves, see Wooden Star Angles: How to Calculate & Cut a Perfect Star.
This one takes a little more preparation, but it makes a really nice weekend Christmas woodworking project and a decoration you can bring out again every year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pieces are in a wooden Bethlehem star?
My Bethlehem star uses eight pieces: four larger oak points and four smaller walnut points.
What angles do I need for this Bethlehem star?
The oak pieces have 60° center points, made from two 30° cuts. The walnut pieces have 30° center points, made from two 15° cuts.
Is a Bethlehem star the same as a regular 8-point star?
Not in this design. A symmetrical 8-point star normally uses eight identical points. My Bethlehem star uses four larger 60° oak points and four smaller 30° walnut points, with one oak point extended downward.
What wood should I use for a Bethlehem star?
I used oak and walnut because their light and dark colors create strong contrast. Other contrasting woods can work as well.
Why should the grain run toward the points?
Running the grain from the center toward the tip reinforces the visual direction of each segment and makes the finished star look more balanced.
Can I make this star with a miter saw?
Yes, but I made mine on a table saw using a sled and adjustable angle jig. This setup gives me a stable surface, secure clamping, repeatable cuts, and more freedom with unusual angles such as 15°.
